BRADENTON, Florida — He had to wait a little longer than most of his Olympic teammates to celebrate, but Kibwe Johnson got the good news Wednesday – he’s headed to Rio.
“It feels great,” Johnson, a 2007 Ashland University graduate, said Thursday morning after learning that he will be part of the U.S Olympic team for the hammer throw.
The drama started for Johnson after he placed second last week in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, with a throw of 246 feet, 5 inches. However, none of the U.S. throwers, including Johnson, reached the Olympic standard (252-7) at the trials, leaving his fate in the hands of the International Association of Athletics Federation. The IAAF has the option to invite up to three athletes when the Olympic Standard mark is not hit by at least three athletes in a country’s Olympic trials.
“Of course I would have liked to throw the standard this season but injuries, etc., got hold of me. I’m fortunate to have rebounded in time for the Trials and to have had great results within the qualifying window.”
Johnson announced the good news with an Instagram post.
“Loud noises. Snuck in the side door, but I can officially say I’m an Olympian again.”
The 34-year-old represented the U.S. in the 2012 London Olympics, finishing in 9th place.
Johnson said waiting a week to find out if he would make the team was hard, but he was confident he would get the result he had worked so hard to achieve.
“My coach and I planned for Rio all along, so I never considered that I wouldn’t make the team, but I started to get nervous towards the end. “
The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, start on Aug. 5, and Johnson has high hopes.
“The plan is to get on that podium, which may seem like a stretch to some. Trust me, it isn’t,” Johnson said.
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